Indulgeo Mihi Peccavi
by WhereTheMildThingsAre
Summary: In a land of magic and music, strange happenings abound. With the promise of two feathers, they gang is excited, but what of the legend of a sinful creature banished to a spiraling tower? Can they find the feathers without losing themselves? UPDATE 05.11
1. Memory I: In the Land of Lullabies

Hooray! My first Tsubasa fanfic. It's something that's been stewing in my imagination since I first got into this series and I think it's...well...not creative, necessarily, but fun. I enjoy making up worlds and people...but mostly the powers in different worlds (and dear Kuro-puu's nicknames)! As a note, "kouta" technically translates to "ballad" in Japanese. However, I took the words "kokoro", which means "heart", and "uta", which means "song", to create the meaning "the Song of One's Heart."

This bit of fanfiction takes place just after Chapitre 69 of the manga, so if you haven't read that far, uh...go read it or don't read this. or something. I think. Anyway, the gang has arrived in a new world where magic and music create a very interesting combination. Not to mention a conceited King with his equally conceited son, a missing Prince and a creature banished to a tower for five hundred years. And what's this? I dare to make a pairing so bizarre as a KuroxOCxFai threesome? Blasphemy! But delicious blasphemy, you must admit. Add in a side of SyaoSaku and Mokona just being Mokona and I think you've got something...mildly interesting.

So please read and review! I would appreciate it very much.

The Silent Sentinel

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Memory I: In the Land of Lullabies

"Do you sense anything, Mokona?" Syaoran asked, frowning slightly.

"Hmm...Mokona does, but it's really faint. And...Mokona senses two somethings!" Mokona said, waving his arms around.

"T-Two?" Syaoran said, looking confused.

"Ooooooooooooh, two feathers? This is very good! Ne, Syaoran-kun?" Fai said, leaning over excitedly.

"How fortunate that there are two feathers in one world. How do you suppose it happened?" Sakura asked, petting Mokona fondly.

"Dunno. Don't care. Let's just find them and get out of here...this place is creepy," Kurogane said gruffly.

Wherever they were, they didn't yet know, but all around them were faint whispers of music and smiling faces. It was a land of strong and ancient magic, that was something any of them could sense. It was woven into the music. Just listening to it made you feel content, peaceful and at ease. It was...soothing. Fai considered all this and tilted his head to the side, a finger tapping his chin contemplatively.

"I think it's rather nice, Kuro-puu," Fai said with a bright smile.

"Very nice, Kuro-puu!" Mokona added.

"Of course you would think that, baka!" Kurogane grumbled. "And don't call me that!"

"Kuro-puu is mad!" Fai and Mokona chorused.

"I'll kill you!" Kurogane roared.

"Hyuu!"

The ninja chased the mage and the small white creature in circles around the square, drawing stares from all manner of people in their vending stalls. Syaoran laughed nervously as Sakura cheered Fai and Mokona on. The young boy looked up at the sky. It was a mix of orange and purple hues, a few stars already twinkling in the distance. They wouldn't get anything accomplished tonight...but that presented the matter of someplace to stay for the night. He winced when a loud crash interrupted his thoughts. He looked to see Kurogane laying under countless numbers of a strange pink fruit, Fai perched on the roof of a nearby stall, not even bothering to suppress his mirth.

"K-Kurogane-san..." Syaoran sighed.

Sakura was already helping the owner, a young girl just a little older than them, pick up the fruit. Scratching his head, Syaoran wandered over as well.

"I'm very sorry, miss, um...I would pay for it, but, we're foreigners, you see, and...well, we're a little short on funds. But we'd be happy too work to pay of for the damages to your, um..."

He paused to look at one of the strange pink fruits in his hand. It had a spiky, hard outer shell with a red leaf at the stem. It looked like nothing he'd seen before and couldn't even begin to put a name to it. He looked back to the girl.

"...fruit," he finished lamely.

"That's quite alright. There's no harm, they've got hard shells here, see?" the girl said, tapping it against her stand. "My name is Hana, who are you?"

"My name is Sakura," Sakura began in a friendly manner. "This is Syaoran-kun, Fai-san, Kurogane-san, and Mokona."

Fai and Kurogane, who had by now begun to help as well, acknowledged their names and each gave a response...granted, Kurogane's was less than enthusiastic. Hana giggled in a good natured manner, her green eyes mirthful. She brushed her long, fiery red hair to the side, straightening up.

"You said you were travellers...you mustn't have a place to stay. My home is plenty big enough if you would like to stay," Hana said.

"Really? Oh, but we couldn't impose," Fai said with a big smile.

"Not at all. Since my brothers left for war, it is far too large and empty for me alone. It will be nice to have company," Hana replied.

"Thank you very much, Hana-san," Sakura said, smiling in that innocent way that only she could.

After helping her close shop for the evening, the five followed Hana through the town to her home. It was spacious, just as she'd said, and clean at that. To Sakura's delight, there was even a small garden in the back yard. After settling in, Fai politely coaxed Hana into letting him prepare dinner that night, as he felt it rude otherwise. Hana, Syaoran, Sakura and Mokona sat in the dining room waiting while Fai cooked and Kurogane wandered off to the back yard, mumbling something about how he hated when the mage cooked sweet things.

"And you are looking for Sakura-chan's feathers...which are pieces of her heart...her memories?" Hana asked, emerald eyes curious.

"Yes. We've come here because Mokona sensed one...two, rather," Syaoran explained.

"Mokona is good at finding the feathers. When he senses one close by, his eyes go "Menkyo!", like that!" Mokona said excitedly.

"Mokona is very good at finding them," Sakura cooed, squeezing the white creature close.

"I hope you find them. I'll help where I can, if you like," Hana offered.

"Oh, no, that's too kind of you. Just allowing us to stay is already too much," Syaoran said, holding his hands up modestly.

"Well...just tell me if I can do something. It gets fairly boring around here," Hana said with a sigh, leaning on one elbow.

"What is the name of this country, by the way?" Sakura asked, petting Mokona.

"This is the country of Melodia. You'll find the name rather appropriate, considering all the music," Hana said.

"About that...why all the music? I mean, it's very enjoyable, but I don't think I've ever heard so much," Syaoran commented.

"Well, in our land, music is a form of magic. Each person can create magic by singing or playing an instrument, and although each person may sing or play many songs, they each have one song that is specific only to them...their Kouta. The Song of their Heart," Hana explained.

"They must sound lovely," Sakura said warmly.

"Yes, depending on the person. Kouta reflects who a person is, what kind of heart they have. If the person is cruel, the Kouta is sharp and off-tune, where-as a person who is kind will have a Kouta that is soft and melodious," Hana said. "Every Kouta has different capabilities. It all depends on the person."

"Does Mokona have a Kouta?" Mokona asked.

"You all do," Hana said with a smile. "You just have to find it."

"Mokona will find it and sing it for everyone!" Mokona replied, ears wiggling happily.

"Dinner's ready!" Fai called, poking his head through the kitchen door briefly.

**T + S + U + B + A + S + A**

"Uwah, Fai-san is such an excellent cook!" Hana marvelled, after they'd finished.

"If only everyone thought so," Fai lamented, throwing a mock-pout in Kurogane's direction.

The ninja snorted. "I ate it, didn't I?"

"You make it sound like it was gross," Syaoran said, nibbling idly on a slice of fruit.

"It was. I don't know how you people manage to force down something so obscenely sweet," Kurogane replied.

"Waaah, Kuro-tan is so mean!" Fai cried.

"Kuro-meany made Fai-mommy cry!" Mokona teased, hopping up and down in Sakura's lap.

Hana laughed at their antics, watching as Kurogane seized Mokona and began to stretch the creature's cheeks ruthlessly, Sakura attempting to reclaim Mokona. Such a strange bunch! But they were all very nice, and it was good to have that kind of noise back in her home. It had been, what now...three? Four years since her brothers had been away? The war was lasting such a long while. Although she continued to receive letters, she wondered if they would ever be coming home.

He musings were interupted by the sight of Fai, staring blankly out the open window. His sapphire blue eyes seemed glassy and out of focus, his playful demeanor having vanished. Looking to Sakura, she noticed the same thing.

"Is everything alright?" Hana asked.

Fai blinked several times, looking back to the group. He grinned widely, scratching the back of his head.

"Sorry! It's just that music," Fai said, pointing out the window.

Hana, Syaoran, Kurogane and Mokona all looked out the window, listening intently. All the music of the people had ceased, and a solitary flute's notes drifted over the entire village. Mokona's ears perked up slightly.

"It's such lonely music," Sakura commented, looking upset.

"I'd imagine it would sound very lonely," Hana replied.

"Why is it that there's only one song now when there were so many songs before?" Syaoran asked, wondering if it had anything to do with the country's history.

"Er, it's a really long story, so..." Hana said, sweat-dropping slightly.

"Mokona wants a bed time story!" Mokona hooted, curling up in Fai's lap.

"Well, alright, but it's not much of a bed time story," Hana said. "That music is coming from that tower at the far end of town, nearest the King's castle."

The group looked out the window in the direction she'd indicated. Indeed, next to the castle there was a dilapidated, spiraling tower, reaching higher than anything else in the town. It looked time worn, far older than the rest of the town.

"Many years ago, when the gods still visited and interacted with the people here, a strange egg was found. It was said that the shell was made of the earth of many worlds and the being inside contained great and strange power. The egg was nurtured and eventually hatched, producing what looked like a human, but in spirit was truly a monster. For almost twenty-years, the being was welcome in both heaven and earth, and it grew to become a great mage and warrior," Hana explained.

"Then what happened?" Mokona asked eagerly, wriggling slightly in Fai's arms.

"Well, the being showed it's true nature and committed an unspeakable sin. As punishment, a powerful curse was placed upon the being and it was locked in the top of that tower, doomed to spend an eternity there. And so for five hundred years, the flute has played, a lonely and foreboding tune," Hana finished.

"No one can survive for five hundred years," Kurogane commented.

"But it's true. If you venture up the tower you can hear the shuffling of the being in there," Hana replied.

"Why has no one tried to release it?" Sakura asked sadly.

"It's not something that should be released, though, people have tried. There is very powerful magic surrounding the tower. No one will get in and no one will get out. The source of this power was given to our King by the gods and has been passed down to each new King for the past five hundred years," Hana said.

"Do you think it could be...?" Syaoran ventured.

"I know time passes differently in different worlds, but come on...five hundred years, kid?" Kuogane retorted.

"It's possible. We'll never know until we try," Fai said before looking back out the window. "However...I would like to see this tower and the being inside of it."

"Eh? Whatever for, Fai-san?" Hana asked, astounded.

"Because no one should be that lonely," Fai replied with a smile.

Sakura watched Fai closely as they continued their conversation. The mage was yet again hiding something. What that was, she didn't know, but it made her sad to know he was keeping it to himself. It was something personal, something that touched close to his heart. She realised then how very little they knew about the mage. Although the most boisterous of their group, he was also the most secretive. The princess wondered just what it was he was hiding, and why he chose to hide it...

As the night grew later, they were given rooms to sleep in and turned in for the night. Sakura fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow, curled up with Mokona, who snored lightly as she clutched him close. However, half-way through the night she awoke, needing a glass of water. Careful not to disturb Mokona, she padded silently down the hallway, headed towards the kitchen. After retrieving her glass of water, she began back towards her room, but stopped suddenly when she noticed Fai sitting in the room they'd been in earlier.

He sat on the floor in a puddle of moonlight, once again gazing out the window. His eyes were glassy once more only now, he swayed slightly from side to side, humming softly. Concerned, Sakura walked over quietly, taking a seat next to him. The mage didn't even seem to notice her. She reached out, gently tugging on his sleeve.

"Fai-san?" she asked worriedly.

The mage blinked before looking to her with sleepy blue eyes. He smiled slightly.

"Ah, Sakura-chan, shouldn't you be in bed?" he asked.

"Yes, but so should you. Why are you up? You've been acting strangely ever since you heard that song," Sakura said, hugging him from the side.

He was acting so strangely...it worried her. Fai was strange to begin with, but this seemed unnatural. Fai grinned widely. He loved that aspect, or rather, every aspect of her. It was nice to be worried about, sometimes. Even if the matter was of something small. Scooting slightly closer to her, he scooped her up so that she was seated in his lap and hugged her close, his chin resting on the top of her head.

"Sakura-chan is very worried about everyone, ne?" he asked.

"Yes...you're all searching for my feathers even though you have no reason to...and I've not helped out at all. But...you didn't answer my question, Fai-san," Sakura pressed.

"Ano...Sakura-chan is so determined!" Fai laughed. "That song just has a lot of magical properties. It's really easy for me to tune into it and get a little lost. But...may I ask you a question?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Syaoran-kun says you hear lonely voices, even in things that aren't living, like that tornado we ran into. Do you feel anything like that with this song?"

The princess fell quiet for a long while. Fai wondered if perhaps she'd fallen asleep when she sniffled slightly, startling him. He tilted his head to the side.

"Sakura-chan?"

"It is a very lonely song...there are words. I think you can hear them, too. And I think that is because...that person is lonely like Fai-san," Sakura said, wiping at her eyes.

Fai laughed, squeezing her slightly.

"I'm not lonely, silly! I've got Sakura-chan, Syaoran-kun, Moko-chan and Kuro-pii with me," he said.

"But that's just it," Sakura said, turning around so she faced him. "You wouldn't ever admit it because you're more comfortable hiding behind this."

She pointed to his mouth. He stared at her, befuddled.

"...my face?" he asked with a wide smile.

"No, your smile," Sakura said, placing her hands on either side of his face. "Fai-san smiles, even when he hurts inside. And that hurts me, because I know you don't want to. But more than that, I don't want Fai-san to be lonely."

He looked to her, to her bright emerald eyes brimming with tears, and folded inside. To make her so upset, shame on him! Syaoran-kun would be so angry with him. He didn't want their princess to cry, especially not over him. Reaching out, he wiped her tears away and smiled.

"Maybe the person trapped in the tower in the loneliest of all, though," he said. "I don't feel anything bad coming from there, do you?"

Sakura shook her head.

"Good! Then tomorrow we can see if one of your feathers is up there and maybe try and release that person. For now..." Fai said, quickly picking her up and standing. "...we both need to go to bed. Before Kuro-daddy wakes up and gets mad."

Sakura giggled softly as he carried her to her bedroom and tucked her in. Kissing her lightly on the forehead, he smiled and closed the door behind him as he left. Walking back to his own room, he paused slightly in the hallway. He would have to try harder...to cover things up. To cover himself up. Because if he didn't, well...he very well might fall apart. And that wouldn't be good for the children, now, would it?

**T + S + U + B + A + S + A**

"Goodmorning, Fai-san!" Sakura called, hurrying into the kitchen to help him with breakfast.

"Goodmorning, Sakura-chan! Did our princess sleep well?" he asked, bright as always.

"Mm!" she sayed, nodding ecstatically.

"Good. Why don't you go sit with Syaoran-kun and Hana-chan, I'm almost done here," Fai said.

"Eh? But I always help you with breakfast," Sakura retorts.

"Hai, hai...but you were up late last night, and there's not much left to do. Besides, Syaoran is talking about places to search for your feathers," Fai informs her.

"Well...alright. But tomorrow morning for sure! I'll be helping!" Sakura said resolutely, disappearing into the next room.

"Sakura-chan is so cute, ne Kuro-ruu?" Fai asks.

The ninja, who had been lurking in the corner of the kitchen, grunts a response; neither a yes or a no. But Fai knows. Sakura-chan, whether anyone cared to admit it, had become precious to all of them. Perhaps Sakura-chan reminded him of Tomoyo-hime? Well, either way, he knew Kuro-ban had set himself on protecting, not only the princess, but "the kid", "the stupid magician" and "the white manjuu" as well.

"Kuro-rin, could you help me carry these?" Fai asked, gesturing to a few trays.

"...we don't have to eat that, do we?" Kurogane asked warily.

"Of course, Kuro-lo, that's why I made it," Fai says with a grin.

"Why always sweet things so early in the morning?" Kurogane grumbles, helping to carry the trays anyway.

After they finished breakfast (which Hana marvelled over again, causing Fai to feign bashfulness), they began discussing the best place to search for the feathers. It was decided that the tower would be the first place to look. However, when Syaoran mentioned going to the King's castle, Hana objected to it strongly. The group looked to her questioningly as she fiddled with the hem of her dress. She'd lent Sakura some of her clothes from when she was younger, and had lent Syaoran, Kurogane and Fai clothes that belonged to her brothers. It was a strange sort of style; something of a cross between the style of Clow Country and Jade Country.

"It's just that...the King is..." Hana mumbled.

"The King is...?" Kurogane prodded.

"...he's not very well tempered. He won't allow you to set foot in the castle," Hana said.

"Well that's very rude! Why is that, I wonder?" Fai asked.

"The King...is a very selfish one. He doesn't care at all for the people of Melodia. The only hope we had of a fair rule was the King's son, Kotosuke...but he disappeared many years ago, after the Queen's death. Now Prince Kotosuke's twin brother, Jotosuke, is in line for the throne. The King is dying, but Prince Jotosuke...is just like him," Hana said sadly.

"I see...then it won't be easy to get into that castle," Syaoran said gravely.

"You...you're still going to try?" Hana asked incredulously.

"Of course. We have to. I made a promise that I would get all of Sakura-hime's feathers back. All of them. So I can't just overlook the fact that one of them is very likely withing that castle," Syaoran said firmly, amber eyes aflame with passion.

"...I see. You lot...you're really into the dangerous things, aren't you?" Hana asked.

"Yup! But don't worry...Kuro-pii will protect us," Fai said with a grin.

"Kuro-pii is so strong!" Mokona added.

"Hn. Damn straight I am," Kurogane replied. A vein popped on his forehead. "And stop calling me those stupid names!"

"Well, I see there's no persuading you," Hana sighed. "I will take you, then, to the tower. I only pray you know what you're getting yourselves into..."

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In the next chapter: The seal is broken! The creature is released, but is it friend or foe? And what of Sakura's feather? Will the group survive their encounter with the strange creature? Will they gain entry to the castle? Will I quit the cheesy preview dialogue? Never! You can't make me!

I mean...Find out next time! Or don't! See if I care! -laugh- But reviews are appreciated. Constructive criticism is highly appreciated. Flame if you must, but remember, I donate flames to local boy scouts to make smores over. Yummeh. See you next chapter (I hope)!


	2. Memory II: Castles in the Sky

Yay! Thank you for the reviews, **OtakuLady** and **entis**, I appreciate them very much! And yes, I have read up to chapter 151 at that same group. I'm on the edge of my seat now, actually, waiting for new scans. My poor Fai... -cries- But, I won't spoil anything for those who haven't read that far. :P

It might not be fantastic, but I'm enjoying writing this story! And nothing makes me happier than seeing that other people enjoy it, too. On a separate note, hear the news about Vic Mignogna voicing Fai in the English dub? -squeals- I'm so excited!

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DISCLAIMER: Puu, I wish I owned it! I could cuddle all of them to my heart's content. Not to mention how much I could mess with the story lines... -drool-

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Memory II: Castles in the Sky 

"Phew! This sure is a long way up!" Fai commented.

The group was steadily--albeit very slowly--making their way up the rickety tower stairs. It seemed they hadn't been used in ages, as they creaked and groaned under the unfamiliar weight of the travelers. Sakura clung fearfully to Syaoran after almost falling off, and the young boy held her hand tightly. Mokona sat on the shoulders of Fai, who was followed behind by Kurogane. Hana lead the way, though she didn't appear pleased about it.

"You're the one who seemed so eager to come up here, mage," Kurogane couldn't help but retort.

"Maa, if I'd known Kuro-puu would break the stairs..."

"You broke them, Kuro-puu! You're soooooooooo heavy!" Mokona added, burrowing quickly into the mage's clothes to escape the wrath of the ninja.

"We're almost to the top, though," Syaoran added, trying to distract them. He ran hand along the tower's outer wall. "The architecture on this tower is different than everything else in this town. Even the stones seem different."

"That's because this tower is made of pure Labradorite," Hana explained.

"A type of Moonstone?" Fai asked curiously.

"Yes. Because of its high magical properties it can support the magic needed to contain the creature, as well as providing a barrier of its own," Hana answered with a smile. "You seem to know a bit about magic. Kuro-kun called you a mage, are you?"

"Hmm...sort of," Fai said with a grin.

"It's a se-cr-et!" Mokona said, sounding muffled under Fai's shirt.

"Oh, I see," Hana said, looking downcast.

"Why does that make you sad?" Sakura asked.

"Well, our town's most powerful mage died a year ago and he was our best hope of overthrowing the King," Hana said. "I thought if Fai-kun was a mage then he might be able to do it instead."

"Well, either way we have to get Sakura-hime's feather from the King. So we'll see what we can do about helping you," Syaoran said brightly.

"Thank you," Hana answered.

"Oi. We're at the top already," Kurogane interrupted.

They stood on a stone platform, a large door facing them. Chains and strange, archaic symbols covered it, as well as strange paper charms. The door looked as though it had taken the most abuse over the years, either from someone trying to get in or something trying to get out. They could see where someone had tried to pry it open, but still the door stood strong. Impenetrable. Foreboding.

"You see? There is strong magic surrounding it," Hana said.

"But the question is whether or not there's a feather in there. Eh..." Syaoran said, turning around. He wanted to speak with Mokona, but found himself speaking with Fai's shirt instead. The magician smiled innocently when Mokona popped out and landed in his arms. "...do you sense anything Mokona?"

"Hmmm...Mokona senses _something._ It's a very strong power, but there's so much magic around, I'm not sure if it's a feather or not," Mokona explained to them. "Gomen."

"Iie, that's alright, Mokona. We'll just have to check," Syaoran said with a smile, petting the white creature.

"That's right. Kuro-pon, go for it!" Fai said, pointing at the door.

"Wh--...Why do I always have to do these things?" Kurogane hollered.

"Please, Kurogane-san?" Sakura asked, looking to him imploringly.

Kurogane stared for a moment before heaving a sigh and running a hand through his raven colored hair. He walked towards the door, grumbling. If the mage or the kid requested it, he could easily avoid it, but when that princess looked at him with those puppy-dog eyes...well, he just had to do it. He wasn't a _complete_ brute. Rolling up his sleeves, he braced himself and grabbed onto both sides of the door. Taking a deep breath, he heaved.

He pulled.

He forced.

He kicked.

He punched.

For about twenty minutes, the ninja worked at the door, his vocabulary steadily growing more colorful and more violent as he did. Sakura heard quite a few words she was certain had never come across her poor virgin ears before, and Syaoran quickly made a move to block them. Fai did the same with Hana, claiming that young girls should not be subject to such horrid language. At last, Kurogane gave up, breathless. He leaned against the wall, wiping sweat off his brow.

"Uwah, Kuro-sama you let us down," Fai pouted.

"Kuro-sama has noodle arms!" Mokona added, flailing his own stubby appendages.

"Shut the fuck up," Kurogane growled threateningly.

As he began to holler louder at the mage and the manjuu, Sakura curiously made her way over to the door, followed closely by Syaoran. She inspected the door, the markings, the chains...and frowned. So much magic to lock up one being? And yet, she couldn't feel anything immediately threatening. Placing her ear to the door, she listened. The lonely voice was much louder here...It wasn't so much that she heard words with these voices, but feelings. Almost like some sort of extreme empathy. The emotions she felt were so powerful, that they developed into thoughts in her mind.

"There is a very sad person in here," she told Syaoran.

"But we can't get the door open," Syaoran replied, his features etched in concentration.

Sakura blinked, nodding slightly at this and placing her hand on the door. He was right. Kurogane had torn the metal handle off in his attempt and was now chasing Fai and Mokona with it around the tiny platform. The princess moved her hands around the door. There must be some way to open it...

And as she touched it, it began to glow, faintly. Do you wish to gain entry? she heard the door ask. Well, yes, of course. That's what they come for. You are a gentle soul, the door said, and I believe you will be able to heal the being I have contained within my walls. Before she could ask the door anything else, in gently opened a crack. Kurogane stopped suddenly, staring.

"...it opened?" he asked.

"Hai," Sakura said shortly.

"Hyuu! Sakura-chan is even more powerful than Kuro-go," Fai taunted.

"Sakura-chan is amazing," Mokona agreed.

Kurogane grumbled something incoherent, but all of them were sure it had to do with the mage and the white meat bun being in some kind of tremendous pain. Sakura gently pushed the door open and peered inside. There was only one small, barred window in the room of the tower, and a slight bit of sunlight filtered in. Nearest the window sat a figure, enveloped in a curtain of grey hair. The figure held one thin, pale hand outstretched where a bird rested upon the figure's finger. Noticing it had company, the figure's head turned slowly towards the group to gaze at them with sleepy blue eyes. The same sleepy blue eyes, Sakura thought, as...

"Eh? Hana-chan, you said there was a monster up here," Fai said.

"H-Hai," Hana answered.

"But...I only see a girl," Fai said, looking across the room.

"...maybe everyone was wrong," Hana said, frowning.

Sakura smiled and, grabbing both Syaoran and Fai's hands, she walked over and knelt down to where the girl sat. Despite her grey hair, she still had the face of a young girl, perhaps only a few years older than Sakura. The girl stared back, almot unsure of who or what they might be.

"I'm Sakura. This is Syaoran-kun, Fai-san, Kurogane-san, Hana-chan and Moko-chan," Sakura said. "Who are you?"

The girl stared. Then, as if understanding Sakura, she opened her mouth to speak...but no words came out. She stared sadly at the bird she held in her hands, the creature resting its eyes as she pet it.

"You can't talk," Sakura stated matter-of-factly.

The girl shook her head.

"That's alright. Do you have a name?" Sakura asked.

Again the girl shook her head.

"Not even a name?" Fai said, almost to himself. "I think...you've been up here a long time. Would you like to leave?"

The girl looked up at this suddenly, eyes wide. Even if she couldn't speak, even if she didn't have a name, even if she didn't know how long she'd been there...someone was asking her to leave. They were allowing her to leave. She did something she was certain she hadn't done in a long time: She smiled brightly and nodded yes. Fai held out his hand.

"Alright, let's go!" he said energetically.

The girl, instead of taking his hand, leaped at the mage, wrapping her arms around his middle and sending them both crashing to the floor. The girl nuzzled the mage slightly, appearing affectionate. Sakura stared at the scene and giggled.

"Uwah, she's like a big puppy!" Fai laughed. He tilted his head back, golden lochs falling to the side. "Can we keep her, Kuro-daddy?"

"How should I know?!" Kurogane yelled. "She's not an animal you idiot!"

"Erm, Mokona, I don't suppose you detect a feather?" Syaoran asked.

"Nope! The power I was sensing is coming from this girl," Mokona said.

"We'd better bring her back to my house. I can lend her some of my mother's old clothes," Hana said excitedly. "C'mon Sakura, the two of us can help her!"

The group quickly left the tower, the enigmatic girl trailing behind them.

**//T+S+U+B+A+S+A//**

Hana and Sakura lead the girl back into the room where the men were waiting, Sakura holding her hand. Kurogane huffed upon the sight of them, leaning on his elbow.

"Why do girls always take so long to get ready?" he asked.

"We had a lot of work to do! And look how cute she looks now!" Hana said, proud of her handy work.

After bathing, it was clear that the girl's hair was not grey, as they'd originally seen, but a stark snow white. Where it was so long before, it was cut to a length slightly longer than Fai's and framed her pale face, sleepy blue eyes peeping out underneath. She wore an outfit that looked similar to the white and pink attire given to Sakura by Hana, but the girl's was white and blue. She sat shyly next to Sakura and Fai.

"We've been trying to think of names while we were waiting," Syaoran said. "Fai-san came up with one we thought was nice."

"What is it?" Sakura asked.

"Well, I had one in mind before, but seeing her now I have a different one. How about...Miyuki?" Fai asked.

"Silent snow?" Kurogane intoned, looking to the girl, then back to Fai, smirking. "Yeah, I'd say it fits."

"How about it? Miyuki?" Fai asked, smiling at the girl.

She sat silent for a while, before once again latching onto Fai. The mage laughed, patting her head. She behaved somewhat like a child, he supposed, constantly latching onto those near-by and hiding shyly behind them. He wondered, though, if she knew anything of the feather, as the legend might suggest. Poking Miyuki on the head, she looked up, still firmly hugging him around the middle.

"Yuki-chan, do you know anything about a feather?" Fai asked.

Miyuki sat up, looking confused. Then, looking bright, she ran to the window and opened it. Holding her hand out, she waited for a moment. It wasn't very long before a small bird like the one they'd seen before landed on her finger. It had colorful cream and orange plumage and seemed quite content to hop about her finger. She ran over and sat down, pointing to the bird with a smile.

"Erm...not quite. We're looking for a different kind of feather," Syaoran said.

Miyuki frowned, petting the bird. Fai walked to the adjacent room and returned with a piece of parchment and a quill. Doodling quickly, he produced a picture of one of Sakura's feathers and presented it to Miyuki.

"One just like this," Sakura said.

Miyuki stared at the picture for a moment before brightening up instantly. She jumped up and ran towards the window again, the bird flying off. Unfortunately, it seemed she was a bit of a klutz as she ran and leapt towards the window...but slammed into it head first. The group stared when she fell backwards, staring a the ceiling in confusion. Kurogane sighed, grabbing her by the back of her clothes an sitting her up straight. She pointed out the window, towards the castle.

"Baka. You can't run through walls," Kurogane said.

She smiled, holding her arms out and flapping them.

"You can't fly either," Kurogane said.

Miyuki shook her head, tugging on his sleeve and flapping her arms again.

"...this sucks," Kurogane grumbled.

"Well at least she's trying to tell us there's a feather there," Syaoran said, not wanting Kurogane to get violent.

"But Mokona said there were two feathers," Sakura said, looking confused.

"Uh-huh! But I'm not sensing the second feather now. Maybe it went somewhere," Mokona offered.

"Or maybe it's something similar to what happened with Masayoshi's Kudan...you would only sense it when it was protecting him," Syaoran suggested.

"That could be it. In that case, maybe we'll find it later," Sakura said.

"Puu? Yuuko wants to talk!" Mokona said, the jewel on his forehead glowing.

A picture appeared with the Dimensional Witch, Yuuko, looking out at them. The group looked expectantly to her. If the witch was contacting them, then she definitely had something important to say. She smirked slightly, arms crossed over her chest.

"I see you've made it to another world safely," Yuuko proclaimed.

"Hai, Mokona's doing a great job," Sakura praised.

The white creature wriggled in pleasure at the compliment.

"And I see you've also picked up a new friend," Yuuko said, looking to Miyuki.

The snow haired girl scrambled behind Kurogane, the larges person in the room, and peered warily at Yuuko from behind him. The ninja seemed a bit annoyed that he was being used as a shield from the witch, but decided to try and ignore it. He focused a glare at the witch.

"So what do you want?" he asked.

"Just to chat about the one you call Miyuki," Yuuko said.

The ninja looked back at the snow haired girl, who was now attempting to crawl up the back of his shirt to escape Yuuko. Great. Just great. It wasn't bad enough that the white manjuu insisted on crawling around in his clothes, now the girl was going to do it, too? He looked back to the witch.

"What about her?" Sakura asked.

Hana stared, immediately confused, but decided that it would be best not to interrupt as the person seemed important.

"There are some things you should know about her," Yuuko explained. "Did any of you, perchance, see some strange markings on her back?"

"Oh, Sakura, we saw something, remember?" Hana said.

"Oh, that's right. Three different symbols...but I didn't know what they meant," Sakura said.

"Silentium. Somnus minor. Redimio," Yuuko said. "Silence. Sleepless. Bind."

"But what does that mean?" Syaoran asked.

"They are all part of a curse, three elements in one. It is this triple curse, Trinus Vomica, that is reserved for only those who have committed a great sin against the gods," Yuuko explained.

"What was it that she did?" Fai asked.

"That I cannot tell you. If she recovers her voice, I don't believe she could tell you either. Five hundred years is such a very long time, I doubt she even remembers anything about her past," Yuuko said. "But know this...appearances can be deceiving. She is the last of her kind, a great species created by magicians and gods, extinct by the hands of man."

"I suppose you won't tell us what she is either?" Kurogane asked.

"No. You will see in time," Yuuko said. "But be forewarned...although she may be a powerful ally, she has the potential to be an even more powerful enemy."

The group said nothing as Mokona's transmission ended. Miyuki rested her head on Kurogane's back, not liking what she heard. She didn't remember much about why she was imprisoned, but she remembered a few things...and one of them was that strange feeling in her chest. It hurt, but there was no wound. It didn't bleed, wasn't bruised. But it still hurt. She glanced over at the group.

"That was funny. She always says such strange things!" Fai proclaimed.

"Keh...if you're really that powerful, I wanna fight you sometime," Kurogane said, squishing her head down.

Miyuki grinned broadly, nodding. Syaoran looked at the strange girl, wondering...just what was she? Yuuko had been so vague, but had come to warn them anyway. She seemed gentle enough, a bit like Sakura in some aspects. Sakura herself had said she felt Miyuki was very lonely. But it still troubled him...

"Maa, should we go try and get into the castle?" Syaoran asked.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the sound of many bells deafened them. The group covered their ears, waiting for it to pass, but it went on for ages. Hana shouted over the noise of them.

"The King has passed, Jotosuke now comes into power!"

"That's bad news for us!" Syaoran hollered back.

"We're not going to get much done by sitting here, though!" Fai said.

Waiting a few more minutes, the bells gradually died away. Kurogane tapped at the sides of his head, almost certain that his eardrums must have ruptured from all the noise. He stood, tucking his sword in his belt.

"Well, let's go see the new King," he said.

**//T+S+U+B+A+S+A//**

The group strolled down the street, headed toward the castle. They caught a few strange looks from the tows folk, but that was nothing out of the ordinary. Miyuki bounced along playfully, taking in the sight of the world outside her tower. There was a number of different things that she found interesting and couldn't focus on just one. Fai looked to Sakura.

"Awefully bouncy, ne Sakura-chan?" he asked with a grin.

"Hai. I'm glad we were able to open that door," Sakura replied.

"It was a really big door, too. Sakura's so cool!" Mokona cooed atop the magician's shoulder.

"Cut the chit-chat. We've got company," Kurogane said suddenly, his hand roving to the hilt of his sword.

The group moved closer together; Kurogane, Fai and Syaoran kept the three girls between them as they were surrounded by men in strange black uniforms. The people nearby began to back away, holding their children close or their loved ones bhind them. The group stood ready as one of the men, presumably the leader judging by the red cuff on the arm of his uniform, stepped towards them, flanked by two lager soldiers.

"You are the travelers new to our village...yes?" the man asked.

"We might be. Who's asking?" Kurogane barked.

"Forgive me, I am General Zhao Li. His Royal Highness Jotosuke Shibamaru the Third requests the honor of your presence this evening," the man said.

"Are we getting dinner?" Mokona asked.

"Urusai! Manjuu!" Kurogane hollered, squeezing the small white creature violently.

"It's quite alright," Zhao said, holding a hand up. "Shall I escort you to the castle?"

"What do you think, Syaoran-kun?" Fai asked calmly.

"Well, it doesn't seem like they're going to give us much of a choice. And the castle is where we wanted to go anyway, so...I guess we have to accept," Syaoran said.

"We accept, thank you very much!" Fai said happily.

"Thank you. If you'll all follow me, my men and I shall escort you to the castle," Zhao said, a strange glint in his eye.

_Not much longer, now. Soon...I'll have what's rightfully mine._

_

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Well, any good? I hope it was. I'm getting deeper into my plot and I'm almost jumping for joy. I think you'll like how I tie things together, but you never know. Maybe you'll hate it. I have no idea. Yeah, sorry about all the obscure Latin references. The title of the story (roughly translated) means: "Forgive me I have sinned." I got the Peccavi ("I have sinned.") from watching Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Kyah! I love learning:3

Anyway, next chapter will come soon! I appreciate any reviews or constructive criticism you might have.


	3. Memory III: All Along the Watchtower

Yay! Thank you so much for the reviews, minna-san. Sorry this chapter took so long...I've been rather ill. But once I was able to write, I had fun doing so. A few surprises in this chapter, I think you'll like them.

* * *

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Tsubasa Chronicle. The glory is bestowed upon CLAMP. Then again, I suppose I'm lucky that I don't get hate mail about ripping certain characters' eyes out. -cough-

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Memory III: All Along the Watchtower

The group sat patiently, albeit slightly uncomfortably, at a long banquet table. They were awaiting the arrival of Jotosuke, who had invited them to dine with him that evening. Syaoran's amber eyes glanced around them; there were those strange soldiers completely surrounding them. Perhaps accepting this invitation was not such a grand idea after all... Before he could dwell on the thought longer, in strolled Jotosuke, flanked by inumerous servants. His seat was pulled out for him and he was seated, a napkin placed in his lap as cooks and waiters began delivering the food.

"Thank you for accepting my invitation, and on such short notice at that," Jotosuke said in a nasally voice, a large slab of meat being doled on his plate.

"Oh, it's no trouble at all. Thank you for inviting us...Your Highness," Fai said with a large grin.

"Now, I suppose you must be wondering exactly why I asked you here," Jotosuke began.

"A bit, yes," Syaoran said.

"Well, I suppose it would be best to cut to the chase," Jotosuke said airily. "With my father's passing, rest his soul, I have come to the throne. As King, I have many duties, however...I cannot perform them all on my own. You've heard the old adage, no doubt, that behind every great man there is a great woman?"

"Yeah, what's that got to do with anything?" Kurogane asked, cutting into the meat (Was it some sort of bird?) on his plate.

"Quite frankly, I need a wife. A Queen to be exact," Jotosuke said with a snarky grin.

"And, where do we come in with all of this?" Fai asked, head tilted to the side with a smile.

"Well not you specifically, but rather your lady friends. I have not seen such beauty in quite some time, and none other in this land shall do. Not to mention," Jotosuke said, sloshing his wine, "that you have brought a rather...exotic prize with you."

Hana and Sakura shifted uncomfortably, while Miyuki seemed to be distracted by something or other. Syaoran grabbed Sakura's hand and squeezed tightly. Kurogane grated his teeth. The nerve of this guy! That's it, this guy was getting a beating, King or not... He jumped up, slamming his hands on the table.

"Now, listen here! You have no right to...to claim whoever...who...whoever..."

"Kuro-daddy?" Mokona said uncertainly.

He felt dizzy all of a sudden. His knees buckled and he went crashing down, groping at the edge of the table as he struggled to keep his eyes open. Was the King...smirking at him? Sakura and Syaoran quickly made their way to his side, but if they were shouting, he couldn't hear them. Fai rose immediately, looking calmly to the King. Swiftly he moved over.

"Excuse me, but could you please tell me what you might have done to our friend? I'm afraid it's not very nice to--Nngh!"

Fai's eyes widened when he felt a prick on the back of his neck. He, too, went crashing down, a strange colored dart sticking from the back of his neck.

"Fai-san!" Hana cried, jumping up, only to go down as well, a nearby soldier shoving Mokona in a bag.

Syaoran and Sakura attempted to help their fallen comrades. Syaoran blinked...his eyes were growing blurry. There was something in the food! And yet, the King was unharmed. He could barely speak when he saw Sakura pass out next to Kurogane. The King rose, smirking down at him.

"Don't worry, it's not poison," Jotosuke said, the echoing in Syaoran's head making his voice no less nasally. "Just call it a bit of...insurance."

A trap. They hadn't even seen it coming. He was such a fool. His friends were in danger, his princess was in danger, all because he couldn't...because he didn't think ahead...and now...

Jotosuke smirked as Syaoran, too, collapsed. The only one left now was... He turned around, eyes wide. Miyuki's hand was inches away from his neck. He smirked again. She really was interesting. She wouldn't do for a bride, of course, Sakura or Hana were far more suited for that. This young woman was merely a tool, something to be used at his disposal. Throwing a hand out, the red satin cover fell of the square case in the corner of the room. When he turned around, Miyuki was on her knees, clutching her head.

"None of that would have worked on you, I know. Not with that curse on you. You're incapable of sleep, natural or otherwise," Jotosuke said. "But look here, I have something of yours. It has been passed down through generations of my family, ever since they were taken from you five hundred years ago."

Miyuki could see them. Even if she couldn't, she could sense them...her horns. As yet another punishment for her sin, she'd been stripped of her horns, cutting her power in half. That was something she'd never forgotten. Her pure white horns had been replaced with horns of crude, black onyx. They weren't visible now...not in her current form. But if she were to attain her horns, her real ones, she would be able to transform again. But her head...her head felt like it was splitting.

"As such, I have the upper hand. You and your friends shall be detained until you're a little more willing to do what I ask," Jotosuke said, snapping his fingers.

Immediately the black clothes soldiers swarmed in, dragging them off towards the holding cells. General Zhao followed briskly along, his eye on the strange beings. Things were going just as planned...

**T+S+U+B+A+S+A**

Kurogane slowly opened his crimson eyes, allowing them to adjust to the lack of light in the room. His body ached from laying on the cold, stone floor. He supposed they'd just been dropped there. Sitting up, he shook his head and looked around. He heard chains rattling and glanced across the room. Miyuki was bound in chains and was currently straining against them in an effort to be with the group, several feet away.

Getting up unsteadily, he walked over and knelt down next to her. They weren't chains like he'd seen before. They were pure black. Miyuki stopped straining long enough to tug on his sleeve questioningly.

"Hn? Yeah, I'm good. That bastard just doped us up," Kurogane grumbled. "Quit trying to break out of these things. You're not going anywhere."

Miyuki sat obediently, hanging her head. The chains felt funny to Kurogane...they made his skin prickle unpleasantly when he touched them. He grabbed onto one and tried to break it, but it was just as things had been with the door of the tower. For all his strength, he couldn't put so much as a dent into them. He sat back irritably. This sucked. He had a feeling the walls of this cell would probably be something similar. Miyuki motioned towards Fai.

"Huh? What about him?" Kurogane asked.

She waved her hands toward the mage.

"He's fine," the ninja grumbled.

But the white haired girl persisted, nudging him. Syaoran had just sat up, and Hana was beginning to stir, but the mage and the princess remained unmoving. Begrudgingly, he walked over and stood over Fai, glancing to his right as Syaoran attempted to stir Sakura.

"Oi. Mage. Wake up," Kurogane sighed.

He grumbled when the mage didn't respond. He was probably playing one of his stupid pranks again, pretending to be asleep, then popping up to surprise him with a stupid nick-name. He knelt down and shook the other.

"I said wake up," he said louder.

But still, the mage did not respond. Sakura was beginning to wake, with prompting from Syaoran and Hana was staring around the cell blearily, so why hadn't Fai woken? The ninja growled, grabbing a fistful of the other's clothes and hauling him up roughly.

"I swear, if this is one of your stupid pranks...!" he hollered.

"Kurogane-san, please!" Syaoran said placatingly.

"Your friend won't be waking for quite some time."

The group looked towards the small opening in the cell door. Zhao peered in at them before opening the door and stepping in, locking it behind him. Kurogane glared at him untrustingly. Syaoran stepped in front of Sakura and Hana, looking ready for a fight. Miyuki however, waved pleasantly at Zhao. He chuckled sightly.

"And just what are you laughing about?" Kurogane growled.

"I implore you to keep your voices down. There are guards all along the watchtower at this time of night and if you wake the others, our plan will not work," Zhao said quietly.

"Plan?" Syaoran said, skeptically.

Zhao smiled slightly, opening his mouth. He sang softly with words that weren't quite words. As he did so, his gruff appearance melted away, revealing that of a handsome young man with wavy brown hair and warm golden eyes. Syaoran's eyes widened slightly in recognition.

"Jotosuke?!" he gasped.

"No, it's the banished prince...Jotosuke's twin brother Kotosuke!" Hana said in an awed whisper.

"I apologize for my deceit. It was wrong of me, but necessary for my plan to work. I will release you and your friends, but we must make haste before they discover us," Kotosuke said.

He swung a hand out towards Miyuki and the chains dropped off her. She grinned appreciatively, hugging the banished prince fondly. He smiled sadly towards the group.

"I know where your other friend is, the small white creature, and as for the mage..." Kotosuke said, his sentence dropping off.

"What's wrong with Fai-san?" Sakura asked, looking between Fai and Kotosuke.

"You were a given a small dosage of a sleeping potion. But my brother Jotosuke, despite his wicked heart, still possesses the same ability to detect and use magic that I do. The same strong ability that's been passed down my bloodline. He sensed your friend's power and knew that it would pose a problem," Kotosuke explained.

"He's not..." Syaoran said, unable to finish his sentence.

"No. But he was given something extremely potent called Histhalmine. He'll be asleep for a long while yet, and he'll probably have to bear with the aftereffects when he awakes, like your little friend," Kotosuke said.

"They gave the same thing to Mokona?" Sakura asked.

"Yes. He's a rather unique creature. I know where he is, we can grab him before we leave. Now quickly, please follow me," Kotosuke said quietly, slipping out the door.

The group looked to each other hesitantly. Miyuki jumped up suddenly, glad to be rid of her chains, and smiled to the rest of them, nodding her approval. Looking to Sakura and Hana, Syaoran nodded slightly, grabbing hold of his princess' hand and making his way out of the cell with them. Kurogane snorted lightly, stooping to pick up the lithe magician before proceeding out of the cell as well, Miyuki nipping at his heels.

Kotosuke edged quietly down the corridor, stopping outside a room. He held a finger to his lips then motioned for them to stay put. Singing lowly once again, he morphed back to the appearance of Zhao and entered the room. The group heard two people speaking before the door opened once more and he emerged with Mokona. Quickly glancing down the corridor, he leaned over the battlement and looked down. There was a single guard, asleep at his post below. The shadows would give them enough cover to slip down. He morphed back to Kotosuke, suddenly looking fatigued.

"Alright, we're going to scale down the battlements. It's shadowy here, so it should provide us with cover. I know that guard, he's out drunk," Kotosuke whispered. "Can you all handle that?"

"If we couldn't handle something that simple we'd be dead by now," Kurogane said with a smirk.

"Alright then," the banished prince replied with a smile.

Miyuki reached out and took Mokona from him, cradling the white creature gently in her arms as Kotosuke lowered and secured the rope. He propelled silently down the wall and waited for them below, motioning for them to follow. Hana went next, followed by Syaoran aiding an anxious Sakura. The ninja looked to the white haired girl.

"Alright, you and the manjuu next," he said.

She shook her head.

"Don't you shake your head at me," he hissed, left eye twitching.

She mock-pouted, then grinned, pointing behind her. It seemed their escape had not gone unnoticed. Sighing inwardly, he lowered Fai, leaning him against the battlement. Miyuki placed Mokona in the magician's lap. The ninja looked to her curiously.

"What, you're going to fight to?" he asked.

She nodded enthusiastically.

"Che. Fine. Just don't die and don't get in the way," he said, cracking his knuckles eagerly.

He found the warning wasn't really needed, as they were met head on by attackers. The girl moved with the same ease in battle as that stupid magician...dodging, weaving, ducking, jumping...but never actually attacking. She let them do that to themselves: tripping over each other, falling off the battlements and such. He himself preferred his brute force, bowling into them and rendering them each unconscious.

It took a mere moment or two to properly dispatch of them. Once that was done, Kurogane looked back to Miyuki, who had picked Mokona up once more and waited by the rope. He himself picked up Fai.

"Alright, now you go first," he said gruffly.

She stared, then shrugged before propelling down the rope with Mokona. Kurogane soon followed, Fai slung over one shoulder. When he reached the ground, Syaoran approached him anxiously.

"Are you alright?" he asked seriously.

"Fine. It was easy pickings," he said airily. "Let's get out of here before anyone else notices we're here."

"I would have that you'd have liked to fight," Kotosuke said with a slight grin.

"Yeah I would, except I can't be bothered with this fool and that white manjuu passed out," Kurogane grumbled.

"I see, well, let's be on our way," Kotosuke said.

"Not so fast...Kotosuke."

The group halted, turning in the direction of the voice. Jotosuke stood atop the battlements, flanked by soldiers. He had a furious gleam in his eye, hand tucked into the long sleeves of his robe. Kotosuke met his gaze, calm and sure despite the anxiety welling up within him. In this situation...

"I suggest you stay where you are," Jotosuke sneered.

"As if. I'll pummel you all to the ground," Kurogane said, smirking.

"Please, Kurogane-san. I understand you are a seasoned warrior, but this is a land of magic. Those soldiers you see there are the Emperor's most elite battle mages, the Yamamaya. If you value the lives of your companions, you will not put up a fight," Kotosuke implored.

"You've got to be kidding me! There's no way I'm going to sit here and allow myself to be captured again," Kurogane said agitatedly.

"That's not what I meant. Instead...we'll leave it to Miyuki," Kotosuke answered.

"I don't understand," Sakura intoned, frowning.

"You will. Miyuki...the second you feel my spell break off, I want you to sing," Kotosuke said.

Miyuki blinked, staring at him curiously as the banished prince reached a hand out and placed it on her shoulder. He began to sing once again, in sweet tones with no lyrics. Jotosuke growled, ordering his Yamamaya to attack. Their voices came as a deep, thundering chorus, manifested in the form of fire and lightning. Syaoran pulled Sakura close as it neared, but strangely, it deflected ten feet away from them. Kotosuke sang louder and Miyuki's eyes widened in surprise. At last, the banished prince's voice cut out and he collapsed to his knees, supported by Hana. He looked to Miyuki with weary golden eyes.

"Now, Miyuki...sing!"

Unsure at first, she opened her mouth, the same kind of musical notes escaping her lips. The air around them seemed to ripple, much like water that's been disturbed. To Kurogane's amazement, part of the battlement seemed to fold in on itself. Yamamaya toppled and fell, though he saw not what became of Jotosuke. He did not have the chance as they were suddenly enveloped in a space of warm, pastel colors. As Miyuki finished her song, the colors faded and they found themselves in a house, though it was not Hana's.

"What...what just happened?" Hana asked.

"I removed one of the curses...from Miyuki," Kotosuke managed to say.

"The curse of silence. So...Miyuki-chan can speak now?" Sakura asked.

Miyuki looked almost hesitant. Opening her mouth slightly, she spoke. "...I...think so."

"That's great, but where are we now?" Kurogane asked.

"...in an old home of mine. I lived here...after I escaped my father and brother..." Kotosuke said, looking pale. "They won't find us..."

"...Kotosuke-san. Are you alright?" Syaoran asked, frowning.

"I'm...I'm fi--...fine..." Kotosuke managed to grind out before collapsing in a heap before them.

Hana hovered anxiously over the prince, rolling him on his back. Miyuki frowned, looking at his pained expression. His breathing was shallow and he was pale and sweating, almost as though he were in a fever. Kurogane quirked an eyebrow slightly.

"What happened to him?" he asked.

"...he used too much of his magic," Miyuki said, unused to the sound of her own voice. "Kotosuke-ou has a lot of magic energy inside him...more than almost anyone in this land...but to attempt to remove one of my curses after making three transformations..."

Despite the fact that it was laced with sadness, the girl spoke in honey sweet tones. Kurogane vaguely wondered what she must sound like when she was happy. He looked from Fai in his arms to Kotosuke on the floor and sighed.

"Well, let's at least get the idiot and that guy to bed. Then we'll talk," Kurogane said.

The ninja hefted Kotosuke up as well, disappearing into another room. Miyuki sat on the floor with the others, cradling Mokona in her arms. She had a feeling something bad would be happening soon...very soon indeed.

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Okay, chapter complete! I have a feeling I might have rushed that one a little, but I got so excited I just couldn't help it. Anyway, reviews are nice and I hope to see you next chapter!


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